With eye on Asiad gold, HI plans two teams for World Cup, CWG

According to selector, striker Mandeep Singh is set return to the squad after recuperating from his injury.

With a top-of-the-podium finish at Asian Games, which guarantees qualification for the 2016 Rio Olympics, as their target, Hockey India is likely to send two very different looking sides for the World Cup and Commonwealth Games — the two events which precede the continental showpiece event.

A senior member of the selection committee said nearly 50 percent of the squad that will travel to The Hague for this month’s World Cup will be rested for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July. These two competitions, in practical terms, will serve as selection trials for the Asian Games, which will be held in Incheon, South Korea, in September.

The core group of 33 players has been divided in two. While a 18-man squad will travel for the World Cup, the rest will start camping in New Delhi from May 26 for the CWG. Assistant coach Jude Felix is likely to stay back and will be in charge of the camp.

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“The idea is to identify our best players who have big-match temperament for the Asian Games, which is our prime target. High-place finish at the World Cup is a bit far-fetched for us and a medal at the CWG does not mean much. But if we win gold at Asian Games, then we will be assured of a place in the Olympics, which is of utmost importance to us,” the selector said.

Chief coach Terry Walsh and high performance director Roelant Oltmans have also laid importance on winning the Asian Games gold. India, who last won the yellow metal at the event in 1998, came close to repeating the feat in Guangzhou four years ago but were stunned by Malaysia in the semifinals. They eventually won a bronze medal but it wasn’t enough to save then coach Jose Brasa’s job and his assistant Harendra Singh too quit from the post.

“My aim is a front-door entry, not a back-door one. The events (World Cup & CWG) will be a big opportunity to rub shoulders with top teams, but our focus will be Asian Games in September,” Walsh said.

No major surprises are expected when Hockey India announce the 18-man squad for the World Cup on Wednesday. The crux of the team for the quadrennial event, which begins at The Hague, Holland, on May 31, is likely to be the same that traveled to Holland last month for a preparatory tour.

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According to the selector, young striker Mandeep Singh is set return to the squad after recuperating from his injury. He’ll be a like-for-like replacement for Yuvraj Walmiki, who despite impressing the coaching staff in the last few months, is likely to make it only to the standbys list.

Railways and Uttar Pradesh Wizards’ Jasjit Singh, who yet to make his India debut, is touted to replace Danish Mujtaba, who is still recovering from an injury and will be in the standbys. However, talented midfielders Lalit Upadhyay and Devinder Walmiki along with young defender Gurinder Singh have failed to make the cut. But they, along with veteran Vikram Kanth and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh, will feature in the waiting list.

The selector said the seven standbys are almost certain to make the cut for the CWG. “Several senior players will be rested for the Glasgow Games. We will test our bench strength in these two events and form the best squad for the Asian Games,” he said.